Thursday, January 28, 2010

Yes, it is true!!! 8 years ago today, my sweet Helen made me a MOMMY!!! It was a day I had longed for for a long time!! It was a hard delivery that ended in c-section (my first of 4), but OH HOW HAPPY I WAS to hold her for the first time!!! I was so happy it was all over and my sweet baby girl was perfect!My sweet first born was a "typical" first born. She's a natural leader and mild tempered!! She's sweet and kind and makes friends easily. She's always had a mature sense about her from day one...She did EVERYTHING early and always had a "calm" relaxed easy going personality!

For 8 years she has remained the same...a sweet, loving, mature, calm, relaxed child that is easy to please and ready to do as she is told!! She's the "teacher pleaser" type that gets along well with everyone!! And what does she want to be when she grows up...."An orphanage worker...I just want to take care of babies and children in orphanages" says Helen!!! :) Oh, she has a heart of GOLD!!!

***Here are some must knows about Helen: She LOVES her siblings, she loves blue NOT pink, she is a "tom-boy" NOT a girly girl (as she calls it), she despises too much attention and wouldn't get on a stage for ANYTHING!! She loves art, animals, outdoors, sports, music, games and anything besides cheerleading and dance!! She's a fantastic softball player AND basically good at any sport she plays...she's very coordinated!! She loves movies and t.v. and will only read her books when we force her...she'd much rather do ART any day than read a chapter book!! :) She can be shy, quiet and reserved...but will laugh and be silly with a friend as long as we're not watching!!! She's just wonderful!!! To this day, she's still never thrown a fit...she's way to mature and laid back for that!!! :)

And, above, here she is...8 years old today.....with a mouth full of braces!!! I can't believe how old she is getting, and even though I'd love to keep her little forever...I'm loving watching her grow into the "big girl" she's becoming!!! And, what did she ask for for her b-day......A new hamster....Yes, there is a new member to the J Family.......Helen was so excited to come home from school and find her surprise bday present she had been asking for....A Hamster:

Yes, this is Lily!!! Helens' new pride and joy!!! I won't touch the thing...but the kids LOVE her!!

***So, happy birthday sweet girl!!! You make us so proud each and every day!!! What a blessing you have been for 8 years now!!! I can only imagine how wonderful the next 8 will be!!! We praise God each and every day for you!!

Happy Thursday to you all (and we're still recovering from our sickness, but doing much better..thanks for your sweet comments and prayers :) kj

What a precious post of your precious girl! Braces? Already? Oh my! She is such a BIG girl!I am already looking forward to some future funny posts about the new hamster!Love & Blessings from Hong Kong,Kim

Happy birthday sweet Helen! And Kristi, you look about 12 years old in that picture after Helen was born! Can NOT believe you said ok to a hamster you crazy woman. you are such a good mom...cause we all know who is gonna be changing that cage out;)! Yes, i'm with Kim...can't wait for some funny hamster stories!

Happy Birthday Helen!! Thanks for the wonderful pictures. She is a beautiful child. I may eat my words someday, but I really dislike hamsters and really can not see me giving into that one. We just got 2 cats because we live in the country and I need them to chase the mice away.Have fun celebrating Helen's birthday!Paula

watch out--our hamster is currently "missing", came home and it was out of it's cage b/c a tube had come off...and we haven't seen it for 3 days!! could have been kitty cat lunch...although it looks AWFULLY similar to Lily!! where were y'all Saturday night??? haha

Our Agency for Adoption #2, Celebrate Children Int. (CCI)

Our Adoption Agency, AGCI, for Lucy Lane

How Old Are My 6 Kiddos??

About Me

I'm a blessed Momma of 6 that's out to share our adoption experience and to encourage others to CARE FOR THE ORPHANS of our world!!
"...once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act."(Proverbs 24:12)

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Our Adoption Time Line!!

June 19th, 2009- We'll be arriving back home with Lucy Lane in our arms...Super yeah!!!
June 13th, 2009 - We'll be flying out to get our baby girl..yeah!!!
May 26th, 2009 - Received call that WE PASSED COURT..she's ours!!
April 20th, 2009 - Received NEW COURT DATE for May 25th.
March 30th, 2009- Received re-referral for Baby "M".
March 10th, 2009 - Julie, our caseworker, calls and delivers the sad news: We lost our referral. Baby Kalkidan's birth mother came back for her.
March 6th, 2009 - Julie calls and gives us court date of May 13th.
February 16th, 2009 - AGCI receives referral packet at 10 am.
February 13th, 2009 - Finish all paperwork and over night referral packet back to AGCI.
February 12th, 2009 - Receive packet and start small paper chase.
February 11th, 2009 - AGCI overnights referral packet to us.
February 10, 2009 - Received "the call" our referral came for our precious 9 month old baby girl. Yeah!!!
February 5th, 2009- Received email stating we're #2 on the wait list...Which meant we were really #1!
January 6th, 2009 - Received call that we're officially #6 on wait list, but really #3.
December 5th, 2008 - Received call that we're officially #9 but really #6 on the wait list!!
November 7th, 2008 - Received email that we're #13 on the wait list.
October 8th, 2008 - Received email that we're #19 on the wait list.
September 4th, 2008 - Received call that we're #23 on the wait list.
July 25th, 2008 - Received notice that we're #27 on the wait list!!
July 22nd, 2008 - Mailed off our Dossier!!! Yeah!!!
July 12th, 2008 - received final completed copy of homestudy
June 18th, 2008 - Fingerprints were taken.
June 17th, 2008 - received dossier packet
May 29th, 2008 - Phone Conference with AGCI (our adoption agency)
May 27th, 2008 - Had final Home Study where Julie walked through our home and met all our kids.
May 13th, 2008- Had 2nd Home Study appt. with Julie B. and scheduled final meeting at our home.
April 22nd, 2008 - Had first Home Study Appt. with Julie B., our homestudy person.
April 14th, 2008 - We mail application to All God's Children International for an adoption from Ethiopia.
April 2008 - We decide to adopt from Ethiopia.
March 18th, 2008 - My sisters and I have lunch with Tracy and her family and ask lots of ethiopian adoption questions
February 29th, 2008- I email Tracy M. from the Utube video and ask to meet her and Levi sometime.
February 26th, 2008 - Nicole G. sends me Utube Video about local adoption